A stunning debut set in a world where reading is unheard of, perfect for fans of Inkheart and Shadow and Bone

Sefia knows what it means to survive. After her father is brutally murdered, she flees into the wilderness with her aunt Nin, who teaches her to hunt, track, and steal. But when Nin is kidnapped, leaving Sefia completely alone, none of her survival skills can help her discover where Nin’s been taken, or if she’s even alive. The only clue to both her aunt’s disappearance and her father’s murder is the odd rectangular object her father left behind, an object she comes to realize is a book—a marvelous item unheard of in her otherwise illiterate society. With the help of this book, and the aid of a mysterious stranger with dark secrets of his own, Sefia sets out to rescue her aunt and find out what really happened the day her father was killed—and punish the people responsible.

With overlapping stories of swashbuckling pirates and merciless assassins, The Reader is a brilliantly told adventure from an extraordinary new talent.

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Quotes & Awards

“Most world building shies away from tackling the question of literacy within fantasy cultures, but here it serves as the beating meta-heart.”

NPR

“Chee’s debut is an intricate, multilayered reading experience…an exploration of self-determination and the magic of the written word.”

Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Commanding storytelling and vivid details, particularly of the magical process of reading, bring the story to life.”

Kirkus Reviews (starred review

“With evocative language, fascinating world building, multifaceted characters, and a compelling plot, this is a series fantasy lovers will want to sink their teeth into.”

Booklist (starred review)

“Kim Mai Guest’s light, young-sounding tone reflects Sefia’s youth and graceful athleticism as she fights soldier agents of the rulers who have already left her orphaned. Fully voiced speaking roles for Sefia, the boy she rescues from captivity, her elderly aunt, and the roughneck soldiers and sailors with whom she engages in physical skirmishes and battles of wit are each so evocative that the tale unwinds with almost visual clarity…The cliff-hanger ending leaves listeners eager for the next episode.”

Other Titles by Traci Chee:

About the Author

Traci Chee, an all-around word geek, loves book arts and art books, poetry and paper crafts. She studied literature and creative writing at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and earned a master of arts degree from San Francisco State University.

About the Narrator

Kim Mai Guestis a multilingual voice actress who has worked extensively in animation, video games, and audiobook narration. She has won eight AudioFile Earphones Awards and was a cofinalist in 2008 for the Audie Award for best science-fiction narration.

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